AU688331B2

AU688331B2 - Nib changing apparatus for a fountain pen

Info

Publication number: AU688331B2
Application number: AU70030/94A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Neville Edgar Andrews
Original assignee: Parker Pen Products
Current assignee: Parker Pen Products
Priority date: 1993-07-08
Filing date: 1994-06-24
Publication date: 1998-03-12
Anticipated expiration: 2014-06-24
Also published as: KR960703733A; WO1995001881A1; GB9314115D0; BR9406999A; AU7003094A; CN1126458A; MX9404930A; CA2166701A1; JP3776451B2; DE69413045T2; JPH09502402A; US5781979A; EP0717682B1; IN189685B; EP0717682A1; CN1065483C; DE69413045D1

Description

1 NIB CHANGING APPARATUS FOR A FOUNTAIN PEN The present invention relates to a nib changing apparatus for a fountain pen and, more particularly, to an apparatus which can also provide packaging for a fountain pen nib.

Nibs for fountain pens are often packaged in tubes or other similar containers and obviously have to be removed from the container before they can be inserted in a fountain pen. Unfortunately, this is often a somewhat messy operation as the nib which i being replaced usually contains ink and, since it has to be grasped by the operator, usually therefore leaves ink on the fingers of the operator.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

There is disclosed herein a method of ieplacing a used pen nib threadedly engaged to an end of a writing instrument with a new pen nib, each said new and used D pen nib having a writing end and a threaded end, said method comprising the steps of: 15 providing a tube having two ends, said new pen nib within said tube, and first and second end enclosures each with a spigot, each said spigot being engaged to a different said end of said tube, each said spigot having a shaped-opening socket capable of i operatively engaging said writing end of said new or said used pen nib therein, said sockets facing each other when said spigots are operatively engaged to said tube, said 20 spigot of said first end enclosure being operatively engaged to said writing end of said new pen nib, removing said second end enclosure with said spigot from said tube, removing said used pen nib from said writing instrument by engaging said writing end of said used pen nib with said spigot of said second end enclosure, rotating said second end enclosure to disengage said used pen nib from said writing instrument, said used pen nib being carried in said second end enclosure, removing from said tube said first end enclosure with said new pen nib carried in said spigot, rotating said first end enclosure to engage said threaded end of said new pen nib with said writing instrument, removing said spigot of said first end enclosure from said writing end of said new pen nib, inserting said spigot of said second end enclosure carrying said used pen nib into one of said ends of said tube, and inserting said spigot of said first end enclosure into the other said end of said tube, said used pen nib being inside said tube sealed by said spigots of said first and second end enclosures.

There is further disclosed herein an apparatus for interchanging new and used pen nibs, said apparatus comprising: IN:\LILI.OI 246:KEII 2 a new pen nib having a writing nib end and a threaded end and a central longitudinal axis defined therebetween, said nib end having an axial groove formed along the underside thereof, first and second end enclosures, a part of each said end enclosure being a spigot having a shaped-opening socket capable of operatively engaging said writing end of said new pen nib and having a plurality of ribs spaced equidistant about the outer periphery thereof and extending parallel to said central longitudinal axis, and a tube having two ends and a circular opening defined therethrough, the inner diameter of said tube being sized so that each of said spigots is receivable into each of said ends, the length of said tube being sized so that said new pen nib is acceptable inside said tube between said shaped openings of both said spigots when each of said spigots is inserted into a different said end of said tube and said spigots face one another.

There is further disclosed herein an apparatus for engaging a writing end of a S fountain pen nib having a threaded end engageable with a pen, said apparatus comprising 15 an end that is a spigot having both a shaped-opening socket engageable with said writing end so that said apparatus and said new pen nib are rotatable together, and a plurality of ribs about the outer periphery of said spigot, said apparatus being insertable into an end of Sa hollow tube with said pen nib inside said tube and being carried by said spigot.

By means of this apparatus a fountain pen nib can be stored within the tubular 20 container, held by one of the end closures until such time as it is required to replace an existing nib. The end closure which is not being used to hold the nib within the container can then be removed from the tubular container, engaged with the nib which is to be replaced and then used to unscrew and remove that nib. The replacement nib, gripped by .o the other end closure, can then be removed from the container and inserted in the pen, S• 25 whereafter the end closure can be removed from the nib and re-fixed to the end of the tubular container, after which the old nib, mounted on its end closure can then be put into the container and the other end closed. Since the operator only has to manipulate the container and end closures, his or her fingers never have to come into contact with the nib itself and therefore there is no risk of ink bleeding from the nib onto the user's fingers.

Preferably, each of the end closures has socket which is closely configured to the shape of a particular style of nib, i.e. one for a particular fountain pen, but it is within the scope of the invention for the end closures to be adapted for use with a range of different pen nibs.

Preferably each of the end closure sockets includes a key or detent which mates with a corresponding keyway or slot in the fountain pen nib in order to fix the nib in a given angular position within the end closure so that unnecessary force does not have to be [N:\LIBLL]01246:KEH

I

WO 95/01881 PCT/GB94/01371 3 applied to the end closure to grip the nib when it is being screwed into or out of the fountain pen.

The end closures may be of different colours to simplify the operation for the user and so that the user can be guided through the steps for using the apparatus by a simple set of linked diagrams.

The end closures are preferably an interference fit within the end of the tubular container, which may be a simple transparent plastics tube, the end closures each having an elongate spigot which fits within the end of the tubular container and which forms the outside of the socket for the fountain pen nib, and a larger diameter end portion which provides a gripping portion for the user. The elongate spigot may be provided with a number of angularly disposed ribs which provide the interference fit with the internal diameter of the tubular container and the spigot may be provided with one or more axial slots to allow a degree of flexing of the socket for securing the nib within it.

To aid engagement of the end closure with a fountain pen nib a relief pattern may be formed on the end closure in the shape of a nib to indicate the correct orientation of the end closure with the nib.

One example of apparatus in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Fig. 1 is an assembled part-sectional view of the apparatus with a fountain pen nib being shown mounted therein; Fig. 2 is an axi, 1 section through an WO 95/01881 PCT/GB94/01371 4 end closure; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the end closure; Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are, respectively, end views of the end closure and cross-sections on the planes C-C and B-B in Fig. 2; and, Fig. 8 is a series of perspective views showing the nib-changing procedure in stages.

The apparatus comprises a transparent plastics tube 1 and a pair of identically shaped end closures 2, one of which is formed of a clear plastics material and the other one of which is formed of an opaque plastics.

As the end closures are identical in shape only one of them will be described in detail.

The end closure comprises a gripping portion 3 which has raised annular ribs 4 and an elongate spigot portion 5 which has three axial ribs 6 fixed disposed equi-angularly about its circumference and which provide an interference fit with the internal diameter of the tube 1 in order to use the resilience of the tube 1 to secure the end closure within the end of the tube.

Each spigot 5 has a socket 7 formed within it of a shape which is arranged to match that of the end portion of a nib 8 of a fountain pen 9. The socket 7 is closed at the end of the closure which, in use, is outermost, so that the end closures fully close the interior of the tube 1. Although, as best seen in Figures 4 to 7, the cross-sectional shape of the socket 7 is such as to closely match the end of the nib 8, since the end of the nib 8 is screw-threaded into engagement with the fountain pen 9 by means WO 95/01881 PCT/GB94/01371 5 of a screw thread 10 on the nib and a complementary one (not shown) on the fountain pen, a detent or key 11 is provided at the entrance to the socket 7, for mating engagement with an axial groove which is formed along the underside of the nib 8.

The spigot 5 has a pair of diametrically opposed axial slots 12 which extend through the collector portion and which allow the spigot to flex both to accommodate the nib 8 and to cause it to be securely gripped.

A relief pattern 13 in the shape of a pen nib is formed on one side of the end closure 2 in order to provide an indication of the correct orientation of the nib with the end closure.

In use the apparatus is used as shown in the series of numbered steps in Fig. 8. In the first step a first end closure 2 (in this case the opaque one) is removed from the end of the tube 1 and then in step 2 it is pushed over the end of the nib 8 which is mounted in the fountain pen 9 and which is to be replaced. In step 3 the end closure is '-tated, thus unscrewing the nib which is then removed. As the end of the end closure is a flat surface it can then be stood up on a flat surface temporarily. In step 4 the other end closure 2 is removed from the tube 1, carrying the replacement nib 8 with it. As shown in step this is inser :ed into the end of the fountain pen 9 and is screwed up into engagement with it.

In step 6 the end closure 2 is removed and in step 7 both end closures are then re-fitted to the tube 1, the opaque end closure retaining the replaced nib therein. The replaced nib can then be returned for repair or replacement or I WO 95/01881 PCT/GB94/01371 6 disposed of.

It will be appreciated that the use of the end closure as a gripper for the nib avoids the user from having to handle the nib directly and therefore avoids ink bleeding onto the user's fingers.

Claims

1. A method of replacing a used pen nib threadedly engaged to an end of a writing instrument with a new pen nib, each said new and used pen nib having a writing end and a threaded end, said method comprising the steps of: providing a tube having two enes, said new pen nib within said tube, and first and second end enclosures each with a spigot, each said rpigot being engaged to a different said end of said tube, each saidl spigot having a shaped-opening socket capable of operatively engaging said writing end of said new or said used pen nib therein, said sockets facing each other when said spigots are operatively engaged to said tube, said spigot of said first end enclosure being operatively engaged to said writing end of said new pen nib, removing said second end enclosure with said spigot from said tube, removing said used pen nib from said writing instrument by engaging said writing end of said used pen nib with said spigot of said second end enclosure, 15is rotating said second end enclosure to disengage said used pen nib from said writing instrument, said used pen nib being carried in said second end enclosure, removing from said tube said first end enclosure with said new pen nib carried in said spigot, rotating said first end enclosure to engage said threaded end of said new pen nib with said writing instrument, 20 removing said spigot of said first end enclosure from said writing end of said new pen nib, inserting said spigot of said second end enclosure carrying said used pen nib into one of said ends of said tube, and inserting said spigot of said first end enclosure into the other said end of said tube, said used pen nib being inside said tube sealed by said spigots of said first and second end enclosures.

2. An apparatus for interchanging new and used pen nibs, said apparatus comprising: a new pen nib having a writing nib end and a threaded end and a central so longitudinal axis defined therebetween, said nib end having an axial groove formed along the underside thereof, first and second end enclosures, a part of each said end enclosure being a spigot having a shaped-opening socket capable of operatively engaging said writing end of said new pen nib and having a plurality of ribs spaced equidistant about the outer periphery thereof and extending parallel to said central longitudinal axis, and a tube having two ends and a circular opening defined therethrough, thile inner diameter of said tube being sized so that each of said spigots is receivable into each of said ends, the length of said tube being sized so that said new pen nib is acceptable inside said tube between said shaped openings of both said spigots when each of said spigots is inserted into a different said end of said tube and said spigots face one another. C,~ [N:\LIBI.LLOI246:KEHI 8

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said ribs are spaced equidistant about the periphery of said spigot and are sized to form an interference fit with said inner diameter of said tube.

4. An apparatus for engaging a writing end of a fountain pen nib having a threaded end engageable with a pen, said apparatus comprising an end that is a spigot having both a shaped-opening socket engageable with said writing end so that said apparatus and said new pen nib are rotatable together, and a plurality of ribs about the outer periphery of said spigot, said apparatus being insertable into an end of a hollow tube with said pen nib inside said tube and being carried by said spigot.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising an end opposing said spigot and capable of being gripped to insert said spigot together with said pen nib into the end of said tube with an interference fit between said spigot and said end of said tube.

6. A method of replacing a used pen nib threadedly engaged to an end of a is writing instrument with a new pen nib, the method being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. An apparatus for interchanging new and used pen nibs, the apparatus being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated 6 January, 1998 20 Parker Pen Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON 00 [N:\LIBLL101246:KE1H